SADC Summit in Luanda Focuses on DRC’s Security Ahead of Elections

Luanda – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) convenes an extraordinary summit today in Angola’s capital to address the pressing security concerns in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) ahead of the nation’s presidential elections slated for December.

According to Angola Press News Agency, the summit was called forth by Angola’s President João Lourenço, who is serving as the Acting Chairman of SADC. The announcement comes following a preparatory virtual meeting led by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Téte António.

Set against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the region, the SADC’s decision to host an in-person meeting underscores the gravity of the situation. The summit will see Heads of State and Government from the member countries deliberate on various issues related to the DRC, particularly the ongoing instability in its eastern provinces and the electoral preparations.

At the 43rd SADC Summit, President João Lourenço underlined the resolution of the security crisis in the eastern DRC as a pivotal element of his regional mandate. He emphasized the need for continued collaboration and coordination with existing mechanisms dedicated to the conflict resolution.

The SADC’s initiatives for peace have included multiple meetings in Luanda, such as the Tripartite Gathering of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), which saw the participation of Angola, the DRC, and Rwanda. One such meeting resulted in the endorsement of the Luanda Roadmap, outlining strategies for the pursuit of peace and addressing the acute issues in the eastern DRC.

The membership of the SADC spans 16 nations including Angola, Botswana, Comoros, the DRC, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, all collaborating towards regional integration and development.